Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Nancy Walker

Born in Philadelphia in 1922, Nancy Walker was raised in high vaudevillian style by her father, showman Dewey Barto of the comedic dance act Barto & Mann. Nancy made her Broadway debut in "Best Foot Forward" in 1941, and stayed with the show when it became a movie starring Lucille Ball two years later. This provided Walker with her first film role, after which she went on to a five-decade-long career as singer, actress, entertainer, and comedian in stage, television, and film. Most people probably remember Nancy from TV shows like "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Rhoda," but those were too sophisticated for me and I wasn't allowed to watch them. I grew up knowing Nancy as the lady with the really strong and absorbent paper towels--"the quicker picker-uppers." Some may also remember Nancy Walker as the director of the spectacular cinematic disco fiasco CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC, though I bet she would probably prefer that you didn't. This man-hating-themed LP was released in 1959, and its cover is reportedly considered to be one of the worst ever made, which of course automatically makes it one of the best. You can read all about Nancy Walker's life and career and see what other movies and shows she appeared in (like this one!) by visiting Wikipedia here.